In & around SEC football

Alabama Week 5 Review
The Crimson Tide had no trouble disposing of Kentucky, 34-6, last Saturday (Oct. 2). Receiver Calvin Ridley hauled in 11 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Joshua Jacobs carried the ball 16 times for 100 yards and another score. It was the third time in five games that the Alabama defense failed to allow a touchdown. The Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0) travels to Fayetteville this Saturday (Oct. 8) to take on Arkansas.Auburn Week 5 Review
The Tigers dominated Louisiana-Monroe from opening quarter en route to a 58-7 victory on Saturday. Sean White completed 14 of his 17 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, and Kerryon Johnson carried the ball 24 times for 146 yards and two more scores. Auburn (3-2, 1-1) accumulated over 400 yards rushing and nearly 700 yards of total offense in the win. The Tigers travel to Starkville as they face the Mississippi State Bulldogs this Saturday.SEC football rankings
1. Alabama (5-0, 2-0)
2. Texas A&M (5-0, 3-0)
3. Tennessee (5-0. 2-0)
4. Arkansas (4-1, 0-1)
5. Ole Miss (3-2, 1-1)
6. Florida (4-1, 2-1)
7. Auburn (3-2, 1-1)
8. LSU (3-2, 2-1)
9. Georgia (3-2, 1-2)
10. Mississippi State (2-2, 1-1)
11. Kentucky (2-3, 1-2)
12. South Carolina (2-3, 1-3)
13. Vanderbilt (2-3, 0-2)
14. Missouri (2-3, 0-2)Week 6 Previews and PredictionsWeek 5: 8-0; season: 43-8Game of the Week Tennessee at Texas A&M (-6.5). The Volunteers’ latest come-from-behind victory included a game-winning Hail Mary 10 seconds after Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason threw a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Tennessee has now defeated presumably its two biggest competitors in the SEC East Division in Florida and Georgia, but now play two tough opponents from the SEC West in back-to-back weeks. If the Vols can find a way to win at Texas A&M, they have a good chance of entering the SEC title game with a playoff berth on the line – regardless of what happens next week against Alabama. Prediction: Texas A&M 34, Tennessee 31.LSU at Florida (+2.5). Ed Orgeron won his debut game as LSU’s interim head coach as his Tigers trounced Missouri 42-17. LSU is still technically alive in the SEC West, but another loss – especially this early – would likely eliminate the Tigers from contention. Florida eked out a win at Vanderbilt last week and will rely on defense to keep this game close. Prediction: LSU 20, Florida 17.Auburn at Mississippi State (+2.5). Auburn’s last two trips to Starkville ended in losses, and the Bulldogs have won three of the last four games in this series. The Tiger offense has struggled mightily against Power 5 opponents, and AU needs more consistency in the red zone if it wants to be effective against SEC opponents. The Bulldogs have bounced back since losing to South Alabama in the first week of the season, and this win would go a long way in securing another bowl bid for Dan Mullen. Prediction: Auburn 23, Mississippi State 16.Vanderbilt at Kentucky (-3). Mark Stoops and Derek Mason both need this win. The two coaches have each picked up important victories this season, but they’ve also lost close games that they should have won. Both teams have an outside chance of making a bowl game, but the loser of this contest will be in for a long season. Prediction: Vanderbilt 16, Kentucky 15.Alabama at Arkansas (+14). The Razorbacks have given the Tide some trouble in the last two seasons, but their upset bids have fallen just short. Alabama leads the series 16-8 overall, including nine consecutive wins over the Hogs. The Tide defense should prove to be too much for the Arkansas offense to handle on Saturday night. Prediction: Alabama 24, Arkansas 13.Georgia at South Carolina (+7.5). The Bulldogs lost in heartbreaking fa-shion against Tennessee and must rebound quickly before another SEC East matchup on Saturday. This will be the first meeting between Will Muschamp and Kirby Smart, who were teammates in the defensive backfield at Georgia during the 1994 season. They also coached together under Nick Saban at LSU. South Carolina has played teams close in its three losses, but their inability to move the ball consistently on offense has plagued them at times. Prediction: Georgia 23, South Carolina 13.